Retirement homes builders McCarthy & Stone has hired a CIO with a pedigree in specialist private care. Tracey McDermott has joined the Bournemouth based business following over five years with private health provider BMI Healthcare.

McCarthy & Stone has 70% of the market share in owner-occupied retirement housing at over 1000 location across the UK. Turnover in 2015/2016 was £3635.9 million with profits of £105 million before tax. The business recently went through a restructure to create regional units to increase growth, there are three new regional operations in the North West, South West and the Midlands.

McDermott is joining the retirement homes sector at a good time. According to the Financial Times investment capital has been flooding into the retirement services sector with 2016 being a particularly good year for the vertical. With the UK’s aged population set to grow significantly in the coming years businesses see real opportunities in baby-boomers.

McDermott (pictured left) joined London based BMI Healthcare in November 2007 initially as head of the IT Programme Office and took on a number of senior leadership roles at the organisation in programme leadership and became CIO in September 2011.

BMI is the UK’s largest private healthcare provider. At BMI McDermott led the integration of Oracle for patient and financial administration and the adoption of Windows 7 through a deal with HP.

BMI Healthcare provides inpatient and outpatient services across 69 hospitals and treatment centres across the United Kingdom. The healthcare organisation provides over 115 different specialties and services.

Prior to joining BMI McDermott was with the major accounting firm BDO LLP Programme Manager and began her leadership career with professional services organisation PWC as a project manager for eight years.

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Featured Columnist | Mark Aikman

Listed in the CIO 100 for 2017, Mark is a Technology Leader working with Global companies, IT operations and leadership of highly complex change and digital transformation programmes. He has an innovative and contemporary approach to leadership and partnership, and is passionate about delivering successful business outcomes using technology rejuvenations. His background spans many verticals such as FMCG, Finance & Insurance, Oil & Gas and Telecommunications, leading major operations and transformations at North Group, BP, T-Mobile and the Cadbury Schweppes organisations.